Comments on: The sad fate of the Columbia crew http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/30/the-sad-fate-of-the-columbia-crew/ I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:53:09 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: amphiox http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/30/the-sad-fate-of-the-columbia-crew/comment-page-2/#comment-144518 amphiox Thu, 01 Jan 2009 01:28:47 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/30/the-sad-fate-of-the-columbia-crew/#comment-144518 One comment regarding the c. elegans surviving. Small and light animals I think have inherently higher capacities of withstanding g-forces simply due to their small size. Also they may well reach terminal velocities below the threshold of injury/death. If you dropped an elephant from a height that a human could easily jump, that elephant would be in deep crap. But you could probably drop a butterfly from any arbitrary height and it would land without even being hurt (earth atmosphere, of course, and assuming the fall is not so long the poor thing doesn't starve to death first). And a small aquatic animal in surrounded by water in its container might not even notice any g-forces at all. One comment regarding the c. elegans surviving. Small and light animals I think have inherently higher capacities of withstanding g-forces simply due to their small size. Also they may well reach terminal velocities below the threshold of injury/death. If you dropped an elephant from a height that a human could easily jump, that elephant would be in deep crap. But you could probably drop a butterfly from any arbitrary height and it would land without even being hurt (earth atmosphere, of course, and assuming the fall is not so long the poor thing doesn’t starve to death first).

And a small aquatic animal in surrounded by water in its container might not even notice any g-forces at all.

]]> By: The Mad LOLScientist http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/30/the-sad-fate-of-the-columbia-crew/comment-page-2/#comment-144490 The Mad LOLScientist Wed, 31 Dec 2008 23:31:22 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/30/the-sad-fate-of-the-columbia-crew/#comment-144490 I couldn't get the news clip to play. Anyone know where else I might find it? I couldn’t get the news clip to play. Anyone know where else I might find it?

]]> By: Radwaste http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/30/the-sad-fate-of-the-columbia-crew/comment-page-2/#comment-144486 Radwaste Wed, 31 Dec 2008 23:17:42 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/30/the-sad-fate-of-the-columbia-crew/#comment-144486 <i>"Was it just some type of sonic boom or was there an actual explosion from the fuel?"</i> Nick, aside from fuel for maneuvering thrusters and some for the deorbit burn, the Orbiter doesn't carry fuel in great quantity. It's a glider, and its orbital height is established by the main engine burn after the SRBs are expended. Again: read the report. The book comes with a CD which includes animation of the descent. “Was it just some type of sonic boom or was there an actual explosion from the fuel?”

Nick, aside from fuel for maneuvering thrusters and some for the deorbit burn, the Orbiter doesn’t carry fuel in great quantity. It’s a glider, and its orbital height is established by the main engine burn after the SRBs are expended.

Again: read the report. The book comes with a CD which includes animation of the descent.

]]> By: Ray http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/30/the-sad-fate-of-the-columbia-crew/comment-page-2/#comment-144459 Ray Wed, 31 Dec 2008 21:04:42 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/30/the-sad-fate-of-the-columbia-crew/#comment-144459 Probably sonic boom. The report stated there was no fire or explosion involved in the breakup. Probably sonic boom. The report stated there was no fire or explosion involved in the breakup.

]]> By: Nick http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/30/the-sad-fate-of-the-columbia-crew/comment-page-2/#comment-144455 Nick Wed, 31 Dec 2008 20:47:56 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/30/the-sad-fate-of-the-columbia-crew/#comment-144455 Can someone answer me this: What was the cause of the sound and vibration from the breakup? Was it just some type of sonic boom or was there an actual explosion from the fuel? Can someone answer me this:

What was the cause of the sound and vibration from the breakup? Was it just some type of sonic boom or was there an actual explosion from the fuel?

]]> By: Mang http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/30/the-sad-fate-of-the-columbia-crew/comment-page-2/#comment-144445 Mang Wed, 31 Dec 2008 20:06:37 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/30/the-sad-fate-of-the-columbia-crew/#comment-144445 @hammer - while my comment is awaiting moderation. Google (marooned movie sets xrv) to see photos. @Phil - preview would be nice! @hammer – while my comment is awaiting moderation. Google (marooned movie sets xrv) to see photos.

@Phil – preview would be nice!

]]> By: Mang http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/30/the-sad-fate-of-the-columbia-crew/comment-page-2/#comment-144436 Mang Wed, 31 Dec 2008 19:34:38 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/30/the-sad-fate-of-the-columbia-crew/#comment-144436 @ hamemer - not sure what Faget’s DC-3 looked like but it was well after the film. But you can find photos of the X-RV from Marooned @ http://www.cloudster.com/Sets&Vehicles/Marooned/MaroonedTop.htm (it looks like a scaled up X23 with a kettle glued on its backside). @ hamemer – not sure what Faget’s DC-3 looked like but it was well after the film. But you can find photos of the X-RV from Marooned @ http://www.cloudster.com/Sets&Vehicles/Marooned/MaroonedTop.htm (it looks like a scaled up X23 with a kettle glued on its backside).

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